OBITUARY.

Shannon News, 19 April 1929, Page 4

OBITUARY.

MR WINIATA PATAKA. A personality in which all the best traditions of the Maori race found their embodiment was'Mr Winiata Pataka, Avho passed aAvay on Monday, at the age of 7(5. Although his -yeara A\-cre comparatively many his demise has been a cause of deep regret both among Natives and Pakeha, and tho sense of loss is intensified by the factthat until about a Aveek previously Mr Winiata Avas a fairly frequent visitor to Levin and Avas apparently in the enjoyment «f health. Rangitira blood ran strongly hi the

veins of the deceased, his mother being a daughter of Nepia Taratoa, head of the Ngatiparewaluiwaha, a branch of the famous NgatiraukaAva .tribe, of Avhich the mother of Te Rauparaha Avas a member and the headquarters of which Avas in the Waikato district,

centring about the part were Cambridge noAv stands. Nepia, it may be 'mentioned,, came from that district Avith the great migration on the invitation of To-Rauparaha. After tlie conquest of the Muapokos, he- settled at Mata-b.iwi, near Bulls; and it- Avas there that Winiata Pataka spent, his early years before 1 joining to Hokio, Avhere his homestead exists to this

day. Nepia Avas also closely related to "the great Whatanui, .Avho saved the remnant of the Muaupoko, and he was. greatly respected by the.old settlers on the coast. At the time of-the Hau liau rebellion he had great influence together with other rangatiras of the NgatiraukaAva, in protecting the coastal territory from the invaders. The deceased was adopted by a' chief of the Ngatiparewahawaha called Winiata, and" in course of time he married Emma Nicholson, a daughter, of Albert Nicholson /(an old English set-

tler) ad one of the . descendants of Te-Whatanui. Old-timers speak of Mr Albert* Nicholson as an English gentlemen avlio came out from Leeds and took up laud at Wirokino, marrying a niece of Te Whatanui, He A\-as a notable .settler at the time for he

brought the timber (Baltic pine) and beautiful furniture for his residencefrom the- Old 'Country. Many years later "the historic building, while em-

pty, Avas destroyed by fire. The same Mr Nicholson, who Avas the father, of Messrs Riri and HoAvard Nicholson, of PorqutaAvhao, shared the credit with Bishop Hadfield of importing the first Berkshire pigs to this coast from England. He farmed the land-'.known as the Wirokino Run (afterwards fanned

by the late Mr John Davis) and Avas

a'neighbour of the late Mr Hector McDonald and affcenvards of his son, Mr Rod. McDonald, now of Roslyn Road. His daughter, Mrs Winiata, died a few years ago. She was adopted as a girl by her aunt, Hitau, at Hokio, and when the deceased, who had previously lived at Matahiwi, married her they lived for about a year near the Wirokino bridge, after which they moved to Hokio. That Avas about 48 years ago, and Hokio remained their home. They farmed the land..well in its then rough condition; much of it : was under bush and scrub—in fact the countryside presented a totally different aspect from what' it does to-day. A family of 14 —eight sons and six daughters—were raised in a free and healthy environment. Thirteen are living, and they are to-day among the best esteemed members of the Native race in this part of the Island. A remarkable fact is that seven of the sons have represented HorOAvhonua in Rugby football and three Were' All Blaclajs—Tom, Martin and Nepia. The one member, of the family not now living was- Charlie. The other sons are: Martin (Wirokino), Walter (Wirokino), Pataka (Otaki), Nepia (Kuku), Toha (Wirokino), Tommy \,(Hokio) and .-Neville (Hokio). All are farming on various holdings. The daughters are settled at -Muhunoa, Te Horo, -Butter's Lake, Palmerston North, and in the Bftngi* tikei and Wanganui districts. The late Mr Winiata Pataka was the only male descendant of. tlie chieftain Taratoa. He Avas a fine specimen of the old-time Maori, honourable and upright, moderate in his habits, and, although not educated on English lines, a man Avith a, broad intellectual outlook. He was noted for his hospitality and courtesy, Avas an excellent. neighbour, and was respected throughout- the district. A striking tribute to his memory is paid by one-Avho kncAV him from boyhood, in the observation v "I never heard him say a bad word . about anybody. If he' heard others slightingly t-poken of, he would turn his back and Walk away. He was the soul of hospitality, and his wife was too."

At the weekly meeting of the management committee of the Horowhenua Rugby Council on Tuesday - a vote of condolence with the relatives was passed, and both the chairman (Mr W. Hannan) and Mr J. W. Procter spoke feelingly from personal knowledge of the sterling qualities of the deceased. It was resolved that all Rugby games, set down for Saturday in" the Council's area be postponed, as a mark of respect. At Tuesday night's meeting of tho Management Committee of the Manawatu Rugby Council at Palmerston,. members stood for a moment" in silence as a mark of sympathy with Mr Martin Wiiiiata, in the death of his father.